Electric switch



J. M. ANDERSEN ELECTRIC swI'rcn Filed Nov. 7, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 /7Zve727 07".

QP 1930- v J. M. ANDERSEN 4,527"

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. "I. 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 2, 1930. J. M. ANDERSEN 1,774,627

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 7, 1923 5 Shoots-Sheet 4 jvcvzia r J. M. ANDERSEN Sept. 2, 1930.

ELECTRIC SWITCH Fneamw. 7, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet Patented Sept. 2, 1930 UNETED .s-TATss rATEN T ;o F-I JOHAN M. NDEasEraoF znooxmnnmassacnusnms, AssIGNoR'ro ALBERT -& J. m. ANDERSONMANUF'ACTURING COMPANY, 01 nos'rol'v; MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TIONOF mssaonusn'rtrs:

Application filed November 7, 1923. Serial No. 673,294.-

This invention relates to a circuit controlling apparatus, which is especially adapted among other uses tobe employed in high tension alternating current circuits. The

invention is capable of embodiment in circuit controlling apparatus for general use, but is herein shown as'embodied: inan apparatus designed to be located on an elevated support, such as the cross arm of a pole ca rying the high tension wires, and is further designed to be embodied 'in an apparatus provided with an oil containing wellor receptacle, within which the circuit is opened in oil.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide apparatus of the. characterdescribed, in which the movable member of the switch maybe operated from outside ,of the apparatus, and in which the actuating device'is capable of being moved without-affecting the condition of the switch, whereby the latter is safeguarded against accidental operation, as will be described. Another feature of the invention consists in providing for automatically locking the oil well to its supporting member, whereby the operator on an elevated support such as a pole can position the oil well with one hand, as will be described.

The invention further has for its object to provide a simple, etficient, reliable and durable construction of switch mechanism, as will be described.

These and other features of this invention 5 will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a circuit controlling apparatus embodying this invention.

Figure 2 a longitudinal section ofthe apparatus shown in Figure 1. the switch being shown in its closed position.

Figure 3 a like section with the switch open.

Figure 4 a cross section on line 44, F ig- 45 are 2, and

Figure 5 a plan view ofthe stationary supporting "frame or member for the switch mechanism, with the .top plate or cover therefor removed. i V

In the present instance, a preferred embocliment of the invention is shown, which is Jespecially adapted for use on an elevated support such as a; pole, not shown, which carries the line wires.

'In the embodiment :herein shown a movable circuitvcontrolling member 10 (see-Figure 2) cooperates with stationary terminals orcontact members 12, 13in a manner well understood. i

These cooperating parts .are carried by a stationary supporting member or frame, herein shown as a box like structure or casing'a provided with'side walls 14, end walls 15, bottom wall 16, and removable top wall or cover 17. Y

The casing a forms a chamber 18 within which the mechanism for operating the movable switch member 10 is located, and supports a removable well or receptacle 19 which is designed to contain sufiicient oil or other liquid to cover the movable and sta- 'tionarycontact members 10, 12, 13.

The stationary contact members 12, 13 are secured to the under side of a slab or plate 20 of insulating material, which is suspended by rods 21 from lugs 22 attached to the side walls 14 of the casing a.

The .movable contact member 10 is connected by bars or strips 23 of insulating material with .asmovable metal member, preferably made as a crosshead 15 having a top plate '25, depending end flanges 26, and an intermediate web 27 connecting said end flanges. The web 27 has pivotally connected to it at 28,- the upper end of a connecting rod 29, which has its lower end pivotally connected at 30 to a crank 31 on a rockshaft 32, which is supported in a bearing hub 33 (see Figure 4) which is extended into the chamber 18 from aside wall 14 thereof. The 90 rockshaft 32 is extended outside of the chamber 18 and has fast on it a crank or arm 35, with which cooperates a lug 36 on a handle 37 loosely mounted on the rockshaft 32 to turn thereon without eifecting movement of the rockshaft until the lug 36 is engaged with the crank or arm 35. Normally the handle 37 hangs in the vertical position shown in Figure l an d to open the switch moved in a irscti ir i icla YZ*t-h 5 r 0w. in Figure 1, and to close the switch is moved in the opposite direction indicatedby the pin- 28. are arranged :in-ia ,ivertigal plane and the connecting rod 29 and crank 31 are constructed and arranged to form a tyggle, whose center pivot 30 is carried beyond the center or vertical planwhenfitheswitch is: turned-il tl Qfiirection ipdicated by the arrow closed,as represented in Figure 2. The connecting 'ro d isprovide'd withialug 40 see Figure 2) which engages an end flange26 when'th'e switch is-clos'ed, the said end flange V acting as a stop to arrest. movement of the rockshaft 32 at or -abo'utthe time the switch is closed.

,The switchis held its 'olo sed position 'by the toggle until the rockshaft"32 .is'turned in the opposite direction by'the' operator, sufficientlvfar to" carry the center-pin of the toggle beyond the center the opposite direction, whereh'p'onthe opening'movement of the switch is completed with'a'quick'throw of the movablemember 10, by one or more springs 42, herein shown as two innum'ber and located in's0ckets 43 'inthe end flanges 26 otthecross head $5..

The springs 42 actonplung ers't, which reciprocate in the sockets 43 and are provided with IQdSflEi extended through the' bottom walls of'sai'df socketsand providedat their lower ends with nuts #16, wliich'are designed to engage the bottom surfaces of the end flanges 26 inthe openingmovement of the movable member 10 of the" switch by the springs 42 as will be described. The plung ers44 projectbeyond the cross head 6 and are designed to engage the cover 17 in the closed position of the switch.

By reference to Figure 2, it will be seen,

that when the switch is closed, the springs {i2 are compressed 'by'th'e plungers 44 bearingagainst the stationary cover 17 and that the lowerrends of the rods '45 and the nuts 46 thereoniar'e removed from the bottom surfaces of the endgfiange's 26 of the cross head 7 b, so that, as soon as the centerpin 30 of the toggle T pas ses beyond the. center plane of the toggle, the springs expand downwardly and, acting on the cross head, move the movable switch member 1Q away from the stationary contacts ormembers 12 and 13 wit-h a quick throw so asto-quickly break .or draw the are in the oilcontained the well 19." V

The springs 42 act to -turn the rockshaft 32 in the direction indicated by arrow 50 until i n its open ,position shown in Figu re 3, the plungers 44 are pro ected outof their sockets the nia xifnum distanceandki'e removed from engageinent with the czsie'rv "On the-closing movemeiit of the switch, the rockshaft 32 is 52 from the position shown in Figure 3 into that shown? in Figure 2, and in this movement the crosshead Z) israised and the plungers 44 are enga'ged with the cover 17, and oniurther upward movement oi the crosshead, the. springs 42 are compresseilkbythe latter between'thebottom walls of the sockets 43 and the now stationary-plungers.

'The crosshead band-the bars or plates 23 of insulating material constitute a support for the movable=swlitch member 10, and provision is made for guiding saidgsupport in its movement'so that'th6S\VitCl1g-H1Gl1'lb0[ 10 may be=maintained 'in proper'alignment with the stationary contact members 12 and 13.

" Tothis' end, the-insulating members or bars I V 23 of the support for themovable switchmember 10 engage rollers. 54-01 insulating material; which-are mounted to turn freely on pins '55' carr'ied"by metal 5 uprights or'frames 56 erected'uponand secured to the insulating slabor pl'ate 20;

' The uprights 56 are located on opposite sides of the crosshead band the antifriction rollers 54 extend tra'nsversely of the insulat- Jim ing bars 23 and are provided with end flanges 57, which' overlap the sides of the insulating bars23 as shown in Figure 5, thereby confining the supportfor the-movable member 10 within definitelimitsL- The stationary llu contact members or terminalsare electrically,

connected within the chamber 18 by conductoperator and moved upwardly into position,

and on this upward movement to engage the supporting devices and move them back- Ward out of the path of the well and permit the latter to be raised into its operative position, whereupon the supporting devices are lav 4327 automatically brought into the path of move ment of the well to engage and support the same lndependentlyof the operator,-who can then remove his hand from the Well. v

In the present instance one construetion of supporting device is shownbut it-isnot desiredto limit this feature of the invention to the particular construction shown. The

, supporting devices herein shown consist of angle-shaped leversor swing arms 64, pivoted at theirupper ends to the bottom wall 16 of the casing a at opposite ends of an opening 65 in said bottom wall and adjacent thereto. The swing arms or levers 64 are provided with fingers 66, which project toward the opening 65 and into the path of lugs or ears 67: attached to the opposite sides of the oil well 19 and provided with a substantially flat-under surface 68 and with an inclined or cam-shaped surface '69. The camshaped surfaces 69 engage thefingers 66 of the swing arms as the oil'well is moved upwardly into position, and turn the swing arms backward until the lugs or ears have been carried past the said fingers. whereupon thelatter are moved toward the oil well by gravity alone as herein shown 'or by gravity assisted by a spring, not shown, in a mannerwell understood,'andj the fingers 66 are brought under the lugs or ears 68 into position to support the oil'well. The operator can then remove his hand from the oil well, and the latter will be supported the swing arms. I v

The swing arms 64 may and preferably will be provided with set screws 70 for engaging the lugs or cars 67 and setting up the oil well against the bottom wall of the casing a in fixed relation'thereto,'so .as to efi'ect'a tight oint therewith by means of 'a' gasket 71.

Provision is made for suspending the apparatus from an elevated support such as the cross arm of a pole carrying the line Wires. To this end the cover or top plate 17 is provided with 'an'gle'ribs 72 '(see Figure 4), which cooperate to form an inverted T- shaped slot 73 for the reception of one or 'more bolts 74 attached to a metal plate 75 which is designed to be bolted to the under side of the cross arm, not shown. The head of the bolt 74 is received in the enlarged portion of the slot 73 and engages the under surface 'of the arms 76 of the ribs 72. The

cover 17 may be engaged with the bolts 74 by entering the latter from either end of the slot 73. The oil well 19 may be provided with a .supplypipe 80 normally closed by a removable plug 81 and through which the oil may be supplied after the apparatus has been installed in position, and it may also be provided with a drainage outlet normally closed by a plug 82.

The side wall of the casing a through which the roc kshaft 32 is extended may and preferably will have "thereon the words Open and Closed (see Figure 1) and the crankor arm 35 is secured on the roekshaft so as to cooperate with these words respectively when the switch is open and closed.

The crank or arm 35 serves as an indicator and enables the operator to see at a glance what position the switch is in.

In Figure 1, the crank or arm 35 points to the word Closed and if the operator desires to open the switch, he turns the handle in the direction of the arrow 38 until the lug 36 is engaged with the under side thereof, after which the handle is further moved in the same direction until the centerpin 30 of the toggle has been carriedbeyond the center, whereupon the springs 42 effect a quick opening of the switch as above described. The operator then releases the handle, which turns freely on tlie'rockshaft back into its normal vertical position. The crank or arm 35 now points to theword Open, and to close the switch, the operator turns the handle in the direction indicated by the arrow 39 until the lug 36is engaged with the under side of the crank or arm-35, and then continues to turn the handle further in the same direction. until further movement is prevented by the lug 40 on the toggle lever 29 engaging the end flange 26 with which it cooperates as shown in Figure 2.

It will be observed that the closing of the switch is effected by the operator, whereas the opening of the 'switch is started by the operator and continued by the springs 42 independently of the operator, so'that the operator after starting the opening movementis powerless to stop it. In the closed position of the switch, the toggle is held off thecenter with the stop lug 40 against the end flange 26 by the springs 42, which are made of such strength as to prevent the switch being-accidentally opened by vibrations in the street or on the top of the pole. It will also be observed, that the handle 37 may be accidentally turned by a lineman or other operator without operating the switch, as the handle is free to swing on the rock-shaft and is normally disconnected from the switch.

The cover 17 may and preferably will be provided with strengthening ribs 90.

While the switch herein shown is especially useful for employment on poles or other elevated structures, it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect.

By reference to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be observed that the bars, strips or pieces 23 of insulating material are of substantially the same width as the fixed contact members or terminals 12, 13, and are movable with the movable contact member 10, so that they support the latter in its movement away from the fixed contact members and constitute a barrier between the latter for the passage of the are from one fixed contact member to the other.

. It will be observed that the bars, strips or pieces 23 are of such length; that the insulating barrier ismaintained:betwecn the fixed contacts 12, 13,,while the movable contact member 1( beihgmovedfroin its closed to sop z a t o s: w

A water-tight joint. ,eifected between the cover 17 and. the casing. a'lby a gasket 73, and a like joint:-is efiectedbetwcen theoilfwell and the casing a by the gasket 71, thereby effectively preventing the entranccof water intotheapparatus except at the rock-shaft 32,-and to prevent-or at least reduce to :1 minimum the liability of water passing into the casing (1 along. the rock-shaft, the latter is provided with preferably a plurality. of annulargroovesfi i, hereinshown; as three in number wh ichare located near the outer: end of the bearing 33. for. the rock-shaft and communicate with a duct .orchannel 95 formed in the bottom :.16of.the casing a and leading to .the outside ofthe latter;

,Ifigvaterg starts .to enter the. casing, along the rock-shaft, itruns intof the outermost annular groove 9t and ,is conducted. outside of the casing through the duct orchannel 95.

If-the quantity of; water is more than the outermost groove 94; can take care of,,the second andjthird grooves will take care of it.

It is preferred-to provide .the cover .with the inverted- T-shaped =slot .by means of the ribs 72, wherebyi-theg amountof metal in thc cover 'may-bereduced, .b'ut it isnot desired to limit the invention; in this :respect.

One, embodiment of-theinvention is herein shown, but it.is notgdesiredto limit the invention to the particular construction shown.

1.In a circuitcontrolling apparatus, in combination, a casing, an oil-well attached thereto, a switch in said oil well having a movable member, asupport for said movable member extended into-said casing, a rockshaft extended'int'o and outside of said casing, a toggle connecting said rockshaft. with the support; for said movable member-,9. crank 'fast on said rockshaft outside of said casing, a handle 'looseon said rocksha'ft to be vertically suspended therefrom outside of said casing and provided with a device for engaging one'surface of said crank outside of said casing to positively rotate said rockshaft substantially a half turnin one direction to move the movable. switch member into its closed position, and to engage the opposite surface of said crank and initially positivel move said rockshaft in the opposite direction, and means rendered effective by the movement of the movable switch member into its closed position to supplement the initial opening movement of the movable member by said handle and rockshaft and complete the opening movement of said movable mmber independently of the rockshaft and handle.

2. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in

combination, a casing, an oil well detachably secured thereto, a switch in said oil well, a. switch-operating mechanism located in said casing and operatively connected with the switch in said well, said mechanism includ ing a rockshaft having one end extended outside of said casing'and having fast thereon a crank visible from outside the casing to indicate the condition of said'switch, and a handle looseon said rockshaft to be vertically suspended therefrom outside of said casing andprovided with a device for engag ing said crank to move the latter in opposite directions and positively rotate said roeksnaft in opposite directions.

3. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination, a casing, a switch-operating mechanism located in said casing, a switch operated by said mechanism, and a handle located outside of said casing and normally disconnected from said mechanism and vertically suspended and free to be moved through an arc-of material length Without actuating said switch-operating mechanism to open the switch and to be returned to'its normal vertical position with the switch in its closed or open position, and means outside of said casing for operativelyconnecting said handle with saidoperating.mechanism and for indicating the condition of said switch.

4.,.In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination, a stationaryswitch member, a

movable switch member located below said stationary switch member, a reciprocating .support for the movable switch member. ex-

tended abovethe stationary switch member and provided with a cross head, a rockshaft located below said cross head, a toggle con- Tnecting said rockshaft with the under side of said cross head to close the movable switch member by rotation of-said rockshaft,a spring carried by and bodily movable with said cross head and compressed by the closing movement of said movable switch member to render it efi'ective to move the said switch member independently of said rockshaft.

5. In a circuit controllingapparatus, in combination, a movable switch member, a sup.- port therefor including a crosshead provided with a socket, a spring located in said socket, a-plunger extended into said socket andacted upon by said spring, a rodzattached to said plunger and extended outside of said socket, and means on said rod for limiting the movement of said plunger by said spring.

6. In a circuit controllingapparatus, i combination, a stationary switch member, a movable switch member located below the stationary switch member, a support for said movable member comprising a cross head and substantially parallel insulating bars connecting said crosshead with said movable member and extended above said stationary switch member, a rockshaft located below said crosshead between said bars, and a toggle connecting said rockshaft with said crosshead.

7. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination a stationary switch member, a movable switch member located below the stationary switch member, a reciprocating support for said movable switch member extended above said stationary switch member and provided with a cross head above said latter switch member, a rock-shaft located between said stationary switch member and said cross head, and a toggle located between said rock-shaft and said cross head and having one member of said toggle connected with the under side of the said cross head.

8. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination, a casing provided with an opening in its bottom, a slab of insulating material located below said opening in line therewith and itself provided with an opening, means extended through the opening in the bottom of said casing for supporting said slab from said casing, circuit terminals secured to said slab, a movable switch member located below said slab and co-operating with said circuit terminals, a support for said movable switch member extended through the opening in said slab into said casing, and means within said casing for moving said support and its attached switch member.

9. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination, a casing provided with an opening in its bottom, a slab of insulating material located below said opening in line therewith and itself provided with an opening, means extended through the opening in the bottom of said casing for siq'iporting said slab from said casing, circuit terminals secured to said slab, a movable switch member located below said slab and co-operating with said circuit terminals, a support for said movable switch member extended through the opening in said slab into said casing, guides for said support erected upon said slab, a rock-shaft, a toggle connecting said rock-shaft with said support, a handle loosely mounted on said rock-shaft outside of said casing and provided with a lug, and an arm fast on said rock-shaft with which said lug co-operates.

10. In a circuit controlling apparatus, in combination, a casing provided with a bottom having an opening between its ends, an insulating member horizontally arranged below said bottom and provided with an opening registering with the opening in the bottom of said casing, means extended through the opening in the bottom of the casing for sus pending the said insulating member, stationary contact members spaced apart and secured to said insulating member on opposite sides of the opening therein, a movable contact member located below said insulating member and bodily movable toward and from the same and having its ends co-operating JOHAN M. ANDERSEN. 

